BRUSSELS, July 30 -- The Council of the European Union issued the following news release:

The Council today adopted further EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Eastern Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea. This decision gives legal value to some of theagreements reached at the Council's Committee of Permanent Representatives in the last two days, as announced by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

Eight persons and three entities have been added to the list of those subject to an asset freeze and a visa ban, inter alia for providing support to or benefiting from Russian decisions makers responsible for the destabilisation of Eastern Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea. This brings the number of persons and entities under EU restrictions to 95 persons and 23 entities.

As requested by the European Council of 16 July, the Council also adopted further trade and investment restrictions for Crimea and Sevastopol, as part of the EU's policy of not recognising the illegal annexation. These include a ban on new investment in the following sectors in Crimea and Sevastopol:

infrastructure projects in the transport, telecommunications and energy sectors and the exploitation of oil, gas and minerals. Key equipment for the same six sectors may not be exported to Crimea and Sevastopol; finance and insurance services related to such transactions must not be provided.

Today's decisions were adopted by written procedure and will enter into force upon their publication in the EU Official Journal, due to take place later on today.

In addition, the Council is due to adopt economic sanctions in view of Russia's role in destabilising Eastern Ukraine through a separate written procedure closing tomorrow, 31 July.